26/11 trial: Railway announcer identifies Kasab

Mumbai, Jun 16 (PTI) A railway announcer, who was shot at
while alerting passengers about the terrorist attack at
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus on November 26 last, identified
Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab as one of the attackers before a
special court Tuesday.

The deposition of Vishnu Dattaram Zende, an announcer
with Central Railways, was significant since he had alerted
passengers on the suburban rail section of the terminus and in
the process prevented more casualties. Zende was also
felicitated by railway authorities for his brave act.

Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said trains were
present at the suburban section of the terminus during the
terror strike and Zende's announcement about the attack had
saved many lives.

Zende told the special court hearing Mumbai attacks case
that he was on duty on the night of November 26 and was making
announcements from his elevated glass cabin from where he
could see the platforms.

The announcer said while making announcements he heard a
loud explosions in the main section of the terminus and saw
passengers running towards suburban side.

"I immediately alerted GRP and RPF to go towards the main
side," Zende said, adding he also heard the sound of firing.

On seeing that there were four local trains on the
platforms, Zende began telling passengers through the public
address system that they should leave the terminus through its
north exit.

"I announced that there is some danger on this side and
asked them to leave from the rear end of the station in Hindi
and Marathi," the announcer said, adding that he saw two
persons with guns on platform number 4 in front of his cabin.

One of them, later identified as Abu Ismail, was shooting
and "the short one", Kasab, was loading his rifle, he said.

He stopped his announcements at the time since the duo
were in front of him, but when his colleague went to switch
off the lights one of the gunmen fired at his cabin, Zende
said, adding that no one was hurt.

Zende after identifying Kasab in open court also
identified Ismail from a photograph shown to him. He also
identified a handbag carried by Kasab during the incident, an
item which the arrested gunman also looked at curiously.

Another eyewitness, Poonam Singh, said she was going to
Uttar Pradesh on November 26 with her husband and two sons.
She was sitting with her six-year-old son in the main waiting
hall of CST, when she heard a loud explosion.

There were two persons shooting with guns and her son
stood up to look at them, Singh said.

Seeing her son walking away from her, she rushed to hold
him but realised that she had been injured by a bullet in the
right shoulder, the witness said, adding that she then fell
unconscious.

Singh who was admitted to the St George hospital in south
Mumbai said she later learnt that her son was also injured.

"I was in hospital for two and half months while my son
was admitted for one and half months," she told the court.

Singh also identified Kasab as one of the gunmen.

The third eyewitness, Assistant sub-inspector Pandurang
Patil said he was on duty at the suburban rail section of CST
when he heard the shooting and explosions in the main section.

Patil said he had seen Abu Ismail throwing a grenade at
people, who ran towards the suburban rail section and also
identified Kasab as the gunman who had shot him.

The police officer said he was injured in the thigh by a
bullet. He also identified Ismail from a photograph shown to
him. PTI SVS
SCY
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